Fate of Dauntless
by ElizabethBlack2294
Summary: Tris struggles to regain her memory, she knows she loves Eric, but will someone else get in the way? They are finally finding out what is beyond their safe walls of Chicago.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

I found Tris standing on the battered rooftop looking out over the city.

I stood watching her as her hair blew in the breeze, she looked like my old Tris again.

"First time I landed on this roof," she started speaking, I hung my head and listened, "I didn't know what to expect."

I looked up to see her shaking her head.

"I finally felt free, I could be a whole new person, but after I lost my memory, I came back here and I feel like I'm trapped."

I stepped forward, keeping a slow pace, and placing my hand on her lower back turning her to look at me.

"Tris, you're not trapped..." I see the pain swimming in her eyes.

"Do you not realize how hard it is for me, Eric? I mean you look at me and you have all of these memories, memories that I can't be a part of anymore."

"Tris, you're still the same person."

"No, Eric. I don't know who I am anymore," she grabs my hand and looks down at it running her thumb over my knuckles, she turned my wrist to see our initials tattooed on the inside of the tender skin, then she turned her arm to see the same tattoo on the side of her own wrist, she sniffles and dropped my hand, "I can't do this anymore, Eric."

"Tris, please don't do this..."

She shakes her head and looks away from me, wiping away the tears, "I have to do this, for me."

I can't hold back the silent tears that are escaping my eyes, "Tris, please."

She leans up to kiss me one more time, "goodbye Eric."

She walks past me, and she doesn't look back.


	2. Chapter 1

It had been two months now since Tris had walked away from Daunltess...from me. We had been busy trying to get the city back up on its feet, everything had seemed to be going well. Dauntless had rebuilt itself to become stronger than we ever had been before.

Me on the other hand, I was hurting...the love of my life had walked away from me, I tried so hard to help her remember all that we had, but she gave up.

"Hey," Max knocked on the doorframe to my office, "what are you still doing here?"

I took a heavy breath, "just trying to get some paperwork and reports finished up, what's up?"

"How are you holding up," Max came into my office and say in a chair across from me.

How am I holding up? I didn't even know, I'd pushed it to the back of my mind.

"I'm good." That was a bold face lie.

Max tried to give a small smile, "you know if you ever need to talk, I'm here."

I nodded and looked back to my paperwork, the paperwork that really didn't need to be done right away.

"Natalie Prior has passed away," he states quietly.

i look up from my stack of papers.

"They took her off of life support this morning, she wasn't healing."

"Thanks for letting me know, Max," I say quietly.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Eric, get some rest," Max stood and walked out the door. I watched him until I couldn't see his retreating form anymore.

Soon after he left, Four walked in.

"Hey man," he said sitting in the chair where Max had just been.

"Hey, what's up?" I ask, setting aside the files.

"Just came by to see how you're doing," he said, messing with his fingers. Something I've noticed he does when he's nervous.

"I'm doing fine."

"We never see you come down to dinner anymore, shit we never see you anywhere anymore."

"I've been busy."

"Wallowing in your own misery?"

"That was blunt, even for you Four."

He shrugs his shoulders, "Eric, she loved you I know, but the girl you had, the girl we loved once, is gone."

"You don't think I don't know that, Tobias? You don't think I don't realize every morning when I wake up alone, that she is gone? I feel it in everything I do, I see how alone I am everywhere I go."

"Eric, I didn't come here to upset you," Four interrupts my rant.

"Then why did you come," I ask with a little more venom in my voice than I intended.

"Evylyn is sending a group of elite soldiers outside the wall to try and make contact with whoever might be out there."

We had never been able to finish opening the box since Tris had lost her memory, once Jeanine and Lauren were both dead, Evylyn wanted to open the gates and find out what was outside the wall.

"And you came here to ask if I want in?"

"Eric, I understand if you don-"

"I'm coming," I interrupt him. It was always Tris' dream to see what was on the other side of that wall, and in all honesty it was one of my biggest dream too.

"When do we leave?"

"Now." Four stood and turned around to leave my office.

It was time to see what was waiting for us.

...

"Ok, listen up, we're only taking eight of us," Four spoke to our small group, "we will try and make connections with whoever may be outside of the wall, and once we do then we will call back here. We have to be prepared, as we don't know what's out there."

"Meaning, we take heavy artillery," Max spoke up to elaborate.

i looked around at the eager faces, our group included Me, Four, Christina, Tori, Zeke, Uriah, Marlene and Austin.

i couldn't help but feel the empty feeling in my chest not seeing Tris' face among us. I glanced to the tattoo on the inside of my wrist and then back at everyone else.

"What weapons are we taking," Austin spoke up. For a factionless asshole, he really wasn't all that bad.

"Two fifty caliper assault rifles, grenades, clamars...you name it, we're taking it." I spoke up.

"Everyone needs to make sure you have plenty of personal supplies in your gear bags," Max spoke now, "we don't know what's out there, and we don't know how long you will be out there.

"Go get ready," Four days before walking away towards the armory.

"Hey," Christina came up to me, "have you heard anything from Tris?"

I open my mouth to reply, but end up shaking my head.

She missed Tris too, her best friend was gone in her desperate time of need. Will had been killed that night Tris lost her memory. I guess we both lost in a way, only difference being, my girl was still alive, she just didn't remember anything about me.

"What do you think is out there," Christina asked me, I could tell she was trying to hold on to the conversation.

"I don't know, nothing maybe? Maybe something? It's really hard to say..."


	3. Chapter 2

"Take care, brother, and good luck," Max says giving me a hug before I climb into the front seat of the armored truck.

I look to Four sitting in the drivers seat, "ready?"

"Ready," he nods and turns the truck on. The engine roars to life and we are on our way into the unknown.

...

After an hours drive, we finally make it to the gate. Evylyn had already sent some of her men out to make sure it was open for us so we could pass through.

Four handed over the paper work showing who all we had with us, what our vehicles contained and so forth, kind of over access ive to me, but it wasn't my responsibility to give an opinion on the matter.

"Be brave," the man told Four before he nodded to another factionless to open the door.

it felt like agaves for the door to open completely, my heart pounded in my ears loudly, waiting to go out and see what the world had in store for us.

"On your toes," I called to the people in the back, "we don't know what the hell is out here."

Four slowly moved the first truck forward, followed by Austin in the second truck. Once we were out of the wall we had been hiding behind for so long, we took a good look around.

"What the hell happened out here," Christina breathed from the back seat.

It looked like crushed ruins of what used to be buildings, covered in dirt and drifts of what looked to be sand. Skeletons of vehicles were scattered around the area, some looked burned while others were simply left to rot away.

"Looks like the war took a good toll on this place," I mumbled more to myself than anyone else.

The wind was blowing, causing a dust storm and low visibility.

"Well that's great," Four scoffed.

i snickered a little and looked back out the window, trying desperately to see through the dust.

What the hell did we just get ourselves into?

...

 **Four hours of driving later**

"There is nothing out here," Uriah called up from the back, obviously getting annoyed.

"No shit Sherlock," Four commented back, getting irritated.

"We should probably call Max, let him know," I comment and Four nods.

Just as I reach for the radio the truck dies.

"ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?" Four screams before getting out of the truck.

i hit my head against the headrest, this wasn't going to great.

"Guys," Tori started, "what is that?"

Everyone looks to where she is looking. Coming from the direction we were just heading is a black flying machine of some kind, the sound of it makes the air sound like it's being chopped up. I remember seeing these in books, it's a helicopter.

My heart rate picked up as whoever was flying was moving closer.

"Maybe their friendlies," Four commented, looking for reassurance from me.

"Yeah...maybe," I say watching as the helicopter lands a few hundred yards away from us.

A man jumps out and begins jogging towards us. He's wearing a black suit and tie, he has black slicked back hair.

"Eric Coulter," he greets me, holding out his hand to me, "Sergeant Dallas Cooper."

I shake his outstretched hand.

"Come with me," he looks at our group and starts jogging back towards the helicopter.

Four and I exchange glances before following in his steps.

"This thing is wicked cool," Christina comments as she gets near to it.

Yeah, it is wicked cool.

...

"How do you know who we are," I ask sgt. Cooper as we fly over wasteland.

"Mr. Coulter, we've been watching you all since you were born."

I raise my eyebrow and look expectantly for more information.

"You see, Chicago was an experiment before the war, trying to create the perfect human beings to keep the world at peace. We have access to the whole city, I will show you once we get to Milwaukee, but we know who everyone is. We know what you've been through and we are still watching."

"Milwaukee?" Uriah asks.

"It's the most beautiful city you'll see within a hundred mike radius Mr. Pedrad."

I look out and see a huge city coming into view.

"Once we get there, we will allow you all to get cleaned up and we will provide you with new clothing. Each of you will have your own living space, and we will take care of all of your needs."

My heart ached, wishing badly that Tris was here to see this.

...

Once i were cleaned up and settled in, Dallas came to my room.

"You wanted to see me Mr. Coulter?"

"Yeah, thanks for coming to talk to me...you said," I paused thinking if I should ask him what I wanted to know, "you said that you've been watching us since we were born, and I was just wondering-"

"You're wondering the whereabouts of Tris."

I nod my head, looking at him expectantly.

"Follow me."

I follow him back to my front door of the massive apartment and nearly run into him as he stops abruptly and turns to me.

"She's been asking about you," he states before he opens the door, revealing Tris on the other side.


	4. Chapter 3

My mouth goes dry as I stare at Tris standing on the other side of the threshold leading into my apartment. Dallas looks at me and nods his head before turning to leave.

"Eric," Tris croaks in a weakend voice.

"Tris," my voice is just as weak.

We stare at each other for what seems like hours before she finally moves. I can't contain myself any longer I move and pull her into my arms, hugging her tightly. I breathe in the scent of her hair, of her skin. She is here, this is really my Tris.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

I pull back enough to see her face twisted with emotion.

"I shouldn't have left you like that, Eric. I know how hard you've been trying to help me remember, but I just can't, no matter how hard I've tried I can't remember anything after the day I arrived at Dauntless."

"It's ok," I pull her back to my chest, "I'm sorry I was pushing so hard for you to remember."

Tris' gaze drops to my wrist, where our initials are tattooed into the skin.

"Why do you... _we_ have this," she asks running her thumb over the ink.

I took a deep breath, "Because, I love you...I got it in honor of you."

A slight blush rises on her cheeks. Then I grab her arm and turn it to see the side of her wrist, I run the pad of my thumb over the raised ink.

She eyes my fingers on her skin before dropping my hand completely, "I missed you, Eric."

"I missed you too, Tris. So much."

It was the first time I had seen her in two months and I couldn't hold back any longer, I leaned forward and pressed my lips fo hers. She responded with a soft sigh and leaned into the kiss before deepening it.

For a moment, it felt like old time at Dauntless, I felt like this was the Tris I had fallen in love with. I felt like she was really in there, screaming to remember, the old her was begging to come forth and be free.

Tris pulled away and leaned her head on my chest.

"What are you doing here," she asked looking up at me.

"I should be asking the same of you."

She grinned a little and looked down, "after I left...I found my way to an opening in the fence, I wasn't going to go far, but as soon as I stepped out, they were waiting for me."

"They, meaning?"

"Dallas, and his crew."

"What is this place?"

"It's the future, Eric. It's actually really interesting here, I've been working side by side with Dallas and the director of this place, David. They say they can help to rebuild Chicago."

I suddenly feel a little uneasy "Tris, how do you know we can trust them?"

"They haven't done anything to hurt me, I don't see why they would have a reason to."

I turn towards the windows in the room.

"Do you want to be left alone for a while?"

No. My body and mind are screaming at me to say no, but my mouth betrays me, "yes."

Without another word she opens the door and she leaves.

'The hell are you doing, Eric,' I think to myself, running my hand through my hair.

She was here, she was standing right here and I let her go. But she said she wanted to find herself, I wasn't going to stand in her way of doing that. Maybe the more she is on her own, maybe the quicker she would come back.

...

"Have you seen Tris, Yet?" Christina asks me as we are eating dinner in the cafeteria.

"Yeah," I reply shortly.

"I'm sorry," she notices my attitude towards the situation, "so what do you think of this place?"

The compound is huge. It's almost like a military base that i had read about in book times ten. There was nothing old about this place, it was Erudite on steroids.

"I don't know if we can trust them," I tell her honestly.

Four glances at me, "they have been really persistent, thing to run tests or something like that on all of us. They say it's just a precaution. They tried talking me into getting a tracking device embedded in my skin."

"Did you do it?" I ask looking at him intently.

"No, I wouldn't let them."

"Good, I don't know about this place, we've only been here for a few hours."

"Hey guys," I hear Tris' sweet voice over our conversation, she looks around the table before finding a spot next to me that Uriah had just moved from. She sat down quickly, as if nothing had ever happened between us.

"What do you think of this place, Tris," Tori asked her.

"It's different," she opened a bottle of water and looked at Tori, "definitely high tech."

Four and I exchanged glances.

"Do you trust them," Four asks her.

She freezes and sets her water bottle down, she says exactly the thing the old Tris would say, "Do you?"

I watch her face and turn back to Four, he gives me a reassuring grin before turning back to his plate.

"Ms. Prior," a tall dark haired boy, no older than Tris and I came up to her, "David would like to speak with you."

"Oh, um..." She looked around the table at our curious faces, "ok."

she got up and walked away from our table, I watched her retreating back until I saw her turn her head and give me a sad smile.

My heart fluttered slightly.

"I don't think she trusts them either," Tori commented.

"Keep your guards up," I look around the table and everyone nods.

"Eric Coulter and Tobias Eaton," a dark haired man stands behind Christina with his arms crossed over his chest, "come with me."


	5. Chapter 4

"Tris," David started speaking, "do you remember what happened to you the night you lost your memory?"

"I wasn't aware I was supposed to remember," I state blandly. He knew i didn't remember, why was he interrogating me.

"What do you remember?"

"I've told you a thousand times, I'll tell you a thousand more, I remember my life up until I arrived at Dauntless."

He nods his head, "do you realize that, you were one of the very best Dauntless soldiers that ever walked through that compound?"

"I've been told," I reply. I watch him intently as he begins to pace the room, "David, why are you asking me these questions."

"You see, Tris," he paces back to his desk, "Thigs are different out here than they were in Chicago," he pours a drink for himself and offers one to me. I decline.

"I realize that."

"There is a war coming, Tris, an uprising if you would. Chicago no longer has a leader, now that Jeanine Matthews is dead."

"What does that have to do with me being a top ranked soldier?"

"We need your help, Tris, we will have to step in when the bullets start flying, and you are going to lead the charge."

"What if I don't want to?"

What the hell was this guy getting at? Chicago was my home, he said there would be an uprising at that we would have to intervene. I wasn't about to attack them.

"Then you're no longer an asset to us."

"David, why can't you just leave Chicago alone, to take care of their own affairs, they will figure it out and get back on their feet. They always do."

"Chicago is becoming a liability, Beatrice, your friends are a prime example of that liability."

"Why do you say that," I glare at him.

"Becuase, they know all to much now, they know what's out here, how long do you think it will be before we are over run by the rest of Chicago. We simply don't have a place for them."

"Are you kidding me? You were telling me when I first got here how we could help to rebuild the city, and now, now you're telling me that you're scared of an uprising and that they could flood into this place looking for answers or help?"

i sway from being light headed. _Breathe Tris._

"It took us a long time, a very lo time to get this city up and running, I will not let factionless rebels take it over."

"So you want to kill them."

"Something like that," he grins and his face turns dark.

I get up to leave, I can't talk to this guy right now.

"Beatrice," he calls out before I reach the door, "if you so much as mention this conversation to anyone, and I do mean anyone, I will not hesitate to kill him."

I turn and stare at him.

"By him I mean Eric," he walks closer to me, "I can see how much he loves you, and I see how much you still love him, even if you don't remember it."

I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out.

"Keep that in mind, _Beatrice."_

"That's not my name." I state shortly before opening the door and leaving his office.

...

That man is crazy, why did I ever trust him in the first plac and now I can't tell the group of people I used to supposedly be close to, that it's not safe here, that we have to get back to Chicago and warn them.

"Hey," I hear Erics familiar voice from behind me, I stop walking down the hallway and turn around, "what's going on, Tris."

"What do you mean?"

"What did David want?"

 _I will kill him,_ David's voice rang through my ears.

"I-i can't tell you..."

"You can't tell me," Eric crossed his arms over his chest and looked down on me.

 _"You can take his place then, stiff," Eric's strong defiant voice rings across the training room, "same rules apply, if you flinch you're out."_

 _The sound of the blade cutting through the target behind me makes me realize just how stupid this was of me to step up in place of someone else._

 _I watch eric, his arms are crossed over his chest, and he's smiling at me._

I shake my head, and blink rapidly looking around. Eric was still looking down on me.

"Do you trust me," I ask quietly.

His arms relax slightly, still crossed over his chest.

"Yes."

I nod and turn to walk away. Eric doesn't follow at first until I turn and glance over my should at him, begging with my eyes, that he follows me.


	6. Chapter 5

_"What are you doing here," Christina asks me when I make it to the train._

 _"I just knew...I had to make it," I say back to the shocked girl._

 _"Who let you out," I hear Eric ask. I look to his predatory stance and look up at him. He doesn't scare me like he should._

 _"I did," I reply nonchalantly._

 _"You did," he nods and smirks at me, "ok."_

 ** _._**

I lead Eric to a secluded part of the military compound, where I know no one can see or hear what I am about to say. I've been here long enough to know where people can and can't talk, I've watched the way some people won't say a word until they are in a certain blind spot. And one of those places happens to be in the back hangar of the compound.

"Tris," Eric asks when i stop and turn around, "what is going on?"

"Eric, when you left Chicago..." I pause and look up into his beautiful grey eyes. Why is my heart skipping a beat, "when you left, what was it like? What was happening?"

"We were working to rebuild the city, to rebuild the government," he says quietly, "why?"

"David is scared, of an uprising," I tell him looking around to make sure no one is watching.

"There was no uprising, Tris."

"I know, Eric, I think he is scared that Chicago will rebuild itself, and he is scared that it will thrive."

"I don't understand why he would be scared? Shouldn't he be proud, isn't that part of the experiment to let the city regrow and prosper?"

I shake my head, "I don't think it was part of the plan. The war was supposed to kill everyone off, and yet, here we are."

"What is he going to do?"

"He's planning to attack...and he wants us to be a part of it."

Eric shakes his head this time, "I don't understand."

"I've given you all the information I can give right now...Please, be careful who and where you tell this information. He will kill you if he finds out I told you."

"Why _are_ you telling me this, Tris?"

 **.**

 _"Do you trust me, Tris," Eric asks me, he's a mere inch away from my face._

 _"Yes," I reply before he crashes his lips to mine, it's the most intimate kiss I've ever felt._

 _ **.**_

"Because I trust you," I reply looking into his eyes. I see a flicker of light flash through the gray and he takes me into his arms for a hug.

"Hey!" A man dressed in coveralls yells, "what are you two doing back here?"

"Relax Jake it's just me," I turn to look at the man. His expression relaxes.

"Sorry, Tris. We've been having problems with some of the kids coming down here and stealing tools."

I grin a little and realize Eric still has his arm wrapped tightly around my waist in a possessive way.

"Jake, this is Eric, Eric, Jake," I gesture between the he two men. They shake hands. "Jake is one of the best helicopter pilots on the compound.

"You can fly," Eric asks, his interest suddenly sparks.

"Yes, I can," Jake looks to me and back to Eric grinning mischievously, "would you like to learn?"

 **.**

 _"I've only ever seen this many books in the library at Abnegation," I say wandering around looking at his book shelves._

 _"Former Erudite," Eric chuckles._

 _"What's this one," I pick up a book, it looks to be a manual for operating a helicopter. Whatever that is._

 _"It's an operators manual on how to fly a helicopter. What I would give to see one and fly one some day."_

 _ **.**_

"You're doing great, Eric," Jake speaks to him through the radio.

We had been flying for nearly two hours. The smile on Eric's face never faded once as he flew around the Milwaukee compound.

"I've only ever read about this," Eric replies, still smiling, "this is so much better than I ever imagined it could be."

"What do you say we set her down," Jake asks him.

Eric grins and maneuvers back to the landing bay, slowly making his way down to land.

"Pretty damn good for your first time," Jake says laughing as the engines are shut off and we begin to exit the aircraft.

"What else is there that I can fly?" Eric asks, eager as a little boy.

"I'll teach you anything and everything you want to know, you know where to find me."

Eric looks to me, still smiling. He grabs my hand and looks me up and down, I'm dressed in black leather pants, combat boots and a black tank top.

"What," I ask grinning at him.

"This outfit reminds me of old times," he states and wraps his arm around my waist, "you don't remember?"

"That's not fair, Eric. You know I don't."

He sighs and loosens his grip on me.

"Were goin to be late for dinner," I say and I pull myself away from him, silently walking back towards the main building.

 **.**

 _ **"** you have three choices," Eric says to Christina, hanging over the chasm, "you can let go and die. You can hold on, or you can give up. You're choice. Or not."_

 _I watch as she struggles to hold onto the metal of the makeshift bridge over the deep chasm._

 _"Come on Chris," I call out. Earning a hard glare from Eric._

 _ **.**_

I wake up with a start, it's only one in the morning. Ever since Eric had shown up here, my mind was filling with random pictures...memories of what it was like back in Dauntless. Some I remembered like it was yesterday, some I remembered barely. But I was remembering some things.

Unable to fall back asleep I get up and slip on my boots before I walk out of my room. Knowing full well the bar is still open.

I pass a few drunken people on my way down the stairs to the main level, I can hear faint music and laughter coming from the dim lit room.

I see Jake sitting at the bar, drinking a beer.

"Hey," I say sitting next to him on the stool.

He looks me up and down before laughing, "did you just wake up?"

I look down at my attire. I had a pair of shorts on with a tank top and my combat boots, my hair was down around my shoulders.

"I couldn't sleep," I admit.

"Can I get you something to drink," Brian, the bartender asks me.

"I'll have a beer please."

"Why can't you sleep, Tris," Jake asks me. Brian hands me my beer and walks away.

"Can I ask you something," I sip my beer.

"You just did."

"Smartsss," I slap his shoulder, "I'm serious."

"You can ask me anything, you can trust me Tris."

I know I can trust Jake, I have talked to him nearly every day since I came here. He had become a great friend.

"Do you trust David?"

He grins and spins his empty bottle on the counter, "yes and no."

"Yes and no?"

"Yes meaning, I know he will do anything he says he will do because he's capable, no because he's a backstabbing dick."

"Do you think he would declare war on someone if he was afraid of them?"

"He's capable."

"But would he," I press.

Jake closes his eyes and presses his lips together before looking around and then back to me, "Tris, I'm going to tell you this _one_ time. You and your friends aren't safe here."

"What do you mean?"

"David is scared of you," he pauses, "he's scared of all of you."

"Why, we come from a broken city."

"A city attempting to get back on its feet isn't a broken city, Tris. Once it's up and running its uncontrollable."

"Uncontrollable?"

"Look, I don't know a whole lot about what Chicago is about, but what I know is, if a city came together after a war to bring down the government in order for a second party to obtain power, then the remainder of the people will form an alliance together and they will be so strong, that anyone who fucks with them will regret it."

I try to process all the information he's giving to me.

"Milwaukee wasn't always like this, Tris," he continues. "We were broken once to. We had a wall built around us, and we tore down that wall, and look what we've become."

"David's scared to lose his power."

Jake nods. I look at my beer and take a swig.

"You really should get some sleep, Tris," Jake says taking my beer from my hands.

i nod, getting up to leave, but he grabs my arm.

"You loved him, didn't you," he says.

"Who?" I know he's talking about Eric.

"Eric, you loved him, before you lost your memory."

"I don't remember," I tell him honestly. A part of me knows I loved Eric, but I can't remember.

"I think you remember more than you're allowing yourself to, Tris." Jake let's go of my arm.

"What do you mean?"

"I see the way you were watching him today, you still remember...somewhere deep in the back of your mind you know the truth of what was."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"You're my friend, Tris. That's all." With that Jake finishes the last of my beer and walks out of the bar, leaving me dumbfounded.


	7. Chapter 6

Eric POV

 _"Eric Coulter, Tobias Eaton, come with me," the dark haired man motioned for us to follow._

 _"My name is Oscar, you can call me Oz. I will be your trainer."_

 _"Trainer for what, exactly," Four speaks up._

 _"What does it look like to you," Oz asks as we reach the ledge overlooking a training arena filled with punching bags, fighting rings and a shooting range._

 _Holy shit. This place was amazing._

 _"You two were some of the best soldiers back in Chicago I hear? Well, let me personally say, it's an honor to have you."_

 _Oz leads us down the stairs into the arena, "I'll be leaving you two alone most of the time, I expect you will use that time wisely. I want you to be here every morning, at least two to three days a week."_

 _Four looks at me and I shrug my shoulders, we continue to follow Oz through the arena to the other side._

 _"Oz," I ask once the three of us are in a seemingly secluded spot, "what are you training us for?"_

 _He stops walking and turns to me, "Eric, is it. I don't know what you've been briefed on, but I want to tell you, not every one here is as they seem. Be careful who you trust."_

...

"Goodmorning," I watch Tris as she sits down across from me. She is holding a cup of coffee in her hands.

"Morning," she says smiling at me.

i can't help but notice how tired she looks this morning, I reach across the table and grab her hand entwining our fingers together, my heart flutters when she doesn't pull away.

"Are you ok," I ask her looking into her eyes.

"I'm good," she replies, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Hey, Goodmorning guys," Christina sits down next to Tris. She pulls her hand away quickly, leaving me feeling cold again.

"Tris," David comes to our table and leans down to whisper something into her ear. She looks directly at me, an unexplainable look crosses her face as she nods and gets up to follow him out of the cafeteria.

"What was that about," Christina asks following my gaze watching Tris leave the room.

"I don't know," I reply, watching as she disappears around a corner.

I look up to see the rest of our group settling at the table, Four sits in the spot Tris was just sitting at.

"We need to get out of here," Four states.

"What," Christina asks confused.

"It's not safe. Oz just told me that David is planning on throwing the eight of us in a prison cell, and he is going to attack Chicago."

"When," I ask back.

"I don't know for sure," he says shaking his head, "but I know we have to leave. And Tris is coming with us."

"We need to get more Intel before we can just barge back into Chicago, we have to know their fight plans."

"Eric, how do you plan on doing that?"

I take a deep breath before I say what I don't want to, "I'm going to have to get on his good side."

"You mean, make it look as if you've turned on us."

"That's exactly what I mean."

...

Tris POV

"Tris, I need to know if I can still trust you," David asks sitting me down in front of his desk.

No. My mind is screaming at me. But the only way I know to save my friends and my former home, is to say' "yes."

David grins, "prove it to me."

"Prove it how?"

"I want you to kill Eric Coulter, the next chance you get."

I felt my body pale, I couldn't kill Eric.

Even if I didn't remember the great love we had for each other, or most of it even. I couldn't kill him.

"Tris," David spoke again, "can I trust you."

My heart was about to pound right out of my chest.

"No," I breathed, "no, you can't trust me."

A smug look crossed David's face, "that's a shame."

The next thing I knew, I was staring down the barrel of his revolver.

 **.**

 _"I love you, Tris, so much," Eric whispered into my hair as we watched the sun set._

 _"I love you too, Eric."_

 _The feel of his soft lips moving against mine made my body scream for more. I loved the man standing in front of me._

 _ **.**_

"David," I heard a frantic knock on the door.

His gun lowered from my head.

"Yes, come in."

Jake.

"Sir, two of our choppers have been compromised."

Eric.


	8. Chapter 7

**_Reminder for for you guys! I don't own Divergent or any of the characters!_**

 ** _This chapter does contain sexual content! ;)_**

 ** _..._**

 _"I need you to listen very carfully, Tris-"_

 _"I'm not hiding this time, Eric."_

 _"I wasn't going to say that..."_

 _"All the Gods, all the heavens, all the hells are within you."_

 _"What is that," Eric asked me._

 _"Something Max said to me earlier."_

 _..._

"Jake, what are you doing," I asked as he began removing the restraints David had put on me.

"It's time for you to go," he said grabbing my shoulders once I was free.

"What about you," I pleaded with him.

"Tris, you need me here. On the inside."

Jake was right, I did need him on the inside. I trusted Jake and David did too, he was the perfect informant.

I turned around to see Eric had landed the helicopter on the platform just outside the glass doors.

"They'll know you helped me," I plead again.

Jake got a funny smile on his face, "Eric, punch me."

"What," Eric asked looking confused.

"Punch me," Jake said again.

"I'm not going to punch you-"

I watched as Erics eyes grew wide as Jake leaned in to kiss me flush on the lips quickly. Erics eyes were about to pop out of his head when Jake finally said again, "punch me."

And Eric dropped him.

"Now go," Jake groaned from the floor.

Eric knew what he had just done, he had to make it look as if he was forced to let me go. But I think it was mostly personal when he had decided to kiss me.

I looked back as soon as Eric had lifted me into the chopper, David's guards were rushing into the room, one knelt beside Jake and helped him up.

Then, Eric took off.

"What do we do now," Christina yelled over the engines.

"We fight them where we know best," Eric called back.

"Where is that," she asked.

"Home."

...

"Tris," Eric called to me hesitantly as I stood on the balcony, looking out as the sun was setting.

I turned to look at him, he wasn't wearing a shirt, I felt my stomach flutter at the sight.

"You ok," he asked me, resting a hand on my lower back.

"Yeah," I took a deep breath and let it out.

"I'm sorry about Jake." He hung his head.

"Why, you did what you had to do. You saved us both."

"Did you love him, Tris?"

My heart nearly stopped at Erics accusation. No I didn't love Jake. I loved him as a friend, that's all he was to me. He was a friend. I love Eric...I just can't tell him that yet.

"No, he was a friend to me, Eric. Nothing more."

I saw relief cast over his features. Then his eyes fell to the scar on my shoulder.

He reached out with two fingers and touched it lightly. My breath caught at the feel of his skin on mine.

"I remember when this happened," he began, "I came for you when Jeanine had you prisoner in Erudite."

He paused and looked at my face, looking for an expression telli him to stop or continue. I could only offer a small smile.

"We finally made it out of there, with Calebs help...I got you out and one single bullet was able to lodge into you."

I shivered when his fingers began tracing down my arm.

"That was the night we met with Evylyn, and she of all people, saved you."

He sighed and grabbed my hand, holding my wrist to his. I didn't know why he always compared our tattoos. Every time he did a small smile crossed his lips and his cheeks turned a soft shade of pink.

 ** _._**

 _"Come on, Tris!" Eric yelled._

 _I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder, but I kept running, keeping up with Eric._

 _We made it to a secluded alley way and I felt warm sticky blood dripping down my arm._

 _ **.**_

"Eric," I say quiet enough I don't think he's heard me, when he looks into my eyes I can't hold back, "kiss me."

And he does.

The kiss is full of fiery passion, tenderness, love, lust...every emotion is spilled into the kiss we share.

Eric picks me up and I wrap my legs around him as he carries us to the bed.

I can't stop him, I want this just as badly as he does.

Our kiss breaks for a moment while I take off my shirt and bra. I don't feel uncomfortable under his gaze, I feel like I belong here. In his bed. In his arms.

"We don't have to do this," he whispers against my lips.

"I want you, Eric."

I hear him growl low in his throat and he wastes no time unbuttoning my pants and underwear and sliding them from my legs followed by his own.

I marvel at the sight of his chiseled body. At his size.

Is this who I was before?

"Make love to me, Eric."

He lines himself up with my hot, wet entrance and thrusts into me. My mind begins to blur and I am in pure bliss as he moves in and out of me at a gentle pace.

"Faster," I moan, he groans and starts pounding into me faster and harder. "Oh my- Eric."

I whimper with pleasure. And moan louder when he begins to play with my bundle of nerves, rubbing my clit with his thumb.

"You feel so good, Tris," he moans, looking down at me with hooded eyes.

"Eric, I'm going to cum," I moan. My moans and his combined, send us both falling over the edge. We ride out our orgasms together before we lay in a panting heaving mess.

"I love you, Tris," he murmurs into my ear.

I can't say it back. Not yet.

"I know."


	9. Chapter 8

I woke up the next morning, still tangled with Eric in his bed. I smiled slightly at the sight of him sleeping so peacefully.

Slowly I made my way out of his arms, careful not to wake him up. Once I was up I stretched my body and stepped quietly towards the closet, looking rough his clothes for something to put on.

I stopped when my eyes landed on the familiar black leather pants. Next to it hung a leather jacket. If I had to guess, I would say they were mine.

i carefully took the clothing articles from the closet and held them in front of me. I looked back into the closet and noticed a glint of silver shining at me from one of the boots on the floor.

I glanced at Eric before picking it up. It was a knife. Carved into one side were the Dauntless flames, I flipped it over to read the engraved words _Be Brave My Queen._

 _ **.**_

 _Eric reached for something in his pocket. He pulled out a silver dagger and held it in front of her. Tris looked down at the silver glinting in the fading sunlight._

 _"What's this," she asked, taking the knife in her hands. He stepped away slightly to lean on the railing._

 _"A little token of my appreciation for you," he smirked._

 _"A token of appreciation?"_

 _"For giving me a chance to be good to you."_

 _ **.**_

This was mine.

i looked to Eric again, he was leaning back against the headboard, he was awake and watching me with curious eyes.

"Was this mine," I asked quietly, still holding the knife in my hands.

He opened his mouth to say something but he closed it.

I wanted so badly to tell him that I remembered. But I couldn't do it. I couldn't tell him I remembered things, not until I knew exactly who I was, not until this war was over.

"Do you remember it," he asked me as he stood and walked to me in his naked glory.

Yes, my mind screamed. "No," I said quietly.

I watched his face fall slightly.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Please don't apologize, Tris," he wrapped me up in his arms and kissed the top of my head.

"Tris," he held onto me as he spoke, "there's something I need to tell you...and you're not going to like it."

I knew what was coming.

 ** _._**

 _"Tris, dad is dead, Lauren shot him." Caleb told me through the radio. Part of me broke inside, the other part told me I knew it would happen._

 _"INCOMING!"_

 _The roof crumbled beneath my feet, my mom was holding onto me the whole time, I never let go of her hand. I watched as the life in her eyes faded, she was still alive but barely._

 _My world went black._

 _ **.**_

"I'm sorry," he whispered into my hair.

He had already told me what I knew was coming. My parents were both dead.

All I could do was nod, then I whispered, "thank you for telling me, Eric."

...

I stepped into the pit, watching at a few eyes looked at me and whispers broke out. I was the one who wasn't supposed to live, I wasn't even the same. I had heard it all before.

I found Christina sitting at her usual table alone.

 **.**

 _"Will," I could hear her crying, "Will wake up!"_

 _Will had been caught up badly in the blast, Christina was the only one not trapped beneath the rubble of concrete._

 _"How is Will," I could hear Eric ask._

 _"Will didn't make it."_

 _The words rang rough my head, Will didn't make it. Who was Will. He was one of my friends, her boyfriend._

 _ **.**_

"Hey," I said quietly sitting across from her.

"Hey," she smiled sadly.

I reached out and grabbed her hand, "I was really sorry to hear about Will, Christina."

I watched as tears rimmed her eyes, she fought hard to find words to say. And then she lost it. I found my way to her side of the table and held her. I held my best friend as she cried for the loss of her loved one.

What would it have been if Will was the one to live without a memory and I had died. I shook the thought from my head, I couldn't imagine putting Eric through what Christina was going through.

 _You're being stupid, Tris, you are putting him throw misery, by hiding the fact that you remember things._

I couldn't tell him just for something bad to happen. Just for him to lose me again, and for me to lose him again. That's the only reason I couldn't say anything, not yet.


	10. Chapter 9

I sat on top of the communications tower that Max had restored while everyone was away. I watched the sunset once again, closing out a day, preparing to start a new one.

"I thought I'd find you up here," I hear Eric call from below.

"I am not very hard to find."

"Mind if I come up?"

"Come on up," I say, my heart flutters when he smiles.

He begins climbing and gets to the top where I am sitting.

"I missed you," he says kissing my cheek.

I laugh at his childishness, "I've only been gone for a few hours."

"A few hours is too much baby."

He was right, a few hours was too much sometimes...especially now that I was realizing how much I loved this man.

"What are you thinking about?" He asks wrapping an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer.

"You want to know?"

"Of course I do."

"I'm thinking about Jake, and the others we left back in Milwaukee...I was hoping we'd have some sort of communication with them by now," I watch Erics face fall when i talk about Jake.

"When do you think they will attack," I ask, changing the subject.

He just shrugs his shoulders.

i watch him take a few deep breaths. I can't hold it anymore.

"Eric," I turn his face to mine, his grey eyes bore into mine, "I love you..."

His face lightens up immediately.

"What?" He asks as if he hasn't heard me correctly.

"I love you, Eric."

I look to the matching tattoos on our wrists...

 **.**

 **"** _So what is this crazy thing we're about to do?" I ask Eric as we walk towards the tattoo parlor._

 _"Tris, marry me." He says._

 _"What did you just say?" I stop walking looking dumbfounded._

 _"Marry me, Tris." His eyes looked straight into mine, so deep that I knew he could see my heart and soul in them._

 _"Okay."_

 _..._

 _"No rings, no tattooed rings, I want our initials, scripted together...because you and I are one, Eric," Bud smiles and gets to work on my tattoo first._

 _..._

 _"Do you have the rings?" Max asks us. We give each other a sheepish grin before holding our wrists up to show Max._

 _"Will this do," Eric asks him. Max lets out a hearty laugh._

 _"I promise you Tris, to love you and protect you, no matter what happens..."_

 _"And I promise you, Eric, where you go I go, when you fight I will fight, and if you die...I'm going to die right beside you."_

 _"Alright then," Max continues, "by the power vested in me as leader of Dauntless, I pronounce you Mr. And Mrs. Eric Coulter."_

 _ **.**_

"I love you too, Tris, God I love you so much it hurts." Eric hugs me tightly and puts his face in my neck.

I shiver when his hot breath meets my skin, and smile to myself. When this war was over, I would be back to being the Tris everyone remembered. Right now I was still finally remembering myself.

...

 **Milwaukee**

"Ahh, Jake," David looks up as Jake walks into his office, "sit down, please."

Jake obliges and sits down in one of the white chairs.

"You were good friends with Ms. Prior, were you not?"

"For a time, I was, sir."

"Did you, help plan her escape, Jake?"

"No sir, I have told you before, her boyfriend, Eric, attacked me."

David nods his head slightly.

"You know, I told Tris, that to prove her loyalty, she was to kill Eric..." David walks to the window and look so out, "she wouldn't do it."

"Sir?"

"I want you, to go to Chicago. She trusts you, I want you to kill Eric, he knows far too much and he knows far too many military tactics that could compromise the war."

"Sir, you need to think about this, Eric, is a top soldier yes, but so was Tris, so was Tobias...hell all of Dauntless is on their side, all of the factionless are on their side, and they can fight."

"Jake," David shakes his head, "can I trust you?"

"Yes, sir you can."

No. You can't, Jake thought to himself.

"Then do as I say, and eliminate the target, with our luck, Tris will fold and they will surrender easily."

Jake watched David's face turn dark, he wanted him to murder Eric, for no actual reason. He thought by murdering him, he would get Tris to surrender the entire city.

"You are dismissed."

Jake stood and stalked out of the office, he then ran to his apartment to pack up a bag of a few clothes and weapons.

"I'm coming with you," a deep voice came from behind him. Oz.

He turned to see the tall man standing in the doorway, behind him stood Dallas.

"We're coming with you."

"Why would you do that?" Jake asked, careful not to give away the fact that he was in fact not on David's side.

"Because, for one," Oz started, "this man we work for, is fucking whack. Two, I've never seen Chicago."

A smile crossed over Jakes features, realizing he could trust Oz and Dallas.

"Are you packed up," he asked the two men.

Dallas nodded and gestured towards the window, Jake looked out to the compound below where at least a hundred soldiers stood, armed and ready.

"They're packed up too," Dallas said standing next to him.

"Let's go then," he said clapping Dallas on the shoulder, "We're going to Chicago boys!"

 **Just a quick reminder in case anyone has forgotten!**

 **I do not own Divergent or any of its characters!**

 **...**

 **So tell me what you think about this Jake guy? Not a bad dude huh?**

 **I have been asked why Tris doesn't want to tell Eric that she remembers some of the events from her past...**

 **Her past is still spotty, she doesn't remember it all yet, but she's getting the important events down, the reason she doesn't want to say anything, is because she knows a war is coming and in her mind she believes that it would be easier on both of them to move on if she dies, or he dies. I hope that answers the question:)**


	11. Chapter 10

Tris POV

"Max! Max!" Uriah ran to Max in the cafeteria making a huge scene in matter of seconds. I looked up from my plate, watching him whisper something into Max's ear. Max looked to him and then his eyes landed on where Eric and I sat.

"Let's go," Eric muttered, pulling me to my feet to follow Max.

We caught up to him in the hallway, leading to the control room.

"What's going on," Eric asked him.

"We have an unidentified group coming towards us."

"A group?"

"Uriah says they landed in the outskirts of the the fence...in something called helicopters."

"Jake," I whispered looking to Eric.

Max watched our exchange before we hurried the rest of the way to the control room.

"Look, they're right here, they're moving fast towards they're armed." Uriah spoke quickly looking from me to Eric and then Max.

"If it's Jake, he brought quite the army along..." Eric commented.

"We can trust him," I pleaded, grabbing his arm.

"We don't know that, Tris. Why would he bring so many people along with him."

"Uriah, zoom in on their faces," Max stated leaning over the back of his chair watching the monitors, "do you recognize any of them?"

"That's Dallas and Oz," Eric commented quietly, "Oz told us to be careful who we could trust before we left."

"Eric," I touched his shoulder, "we need to find out Jakes intentions, we need to meet him."

"I'm not letting you go out there alone, for all we know David turned the, on us and they're here to kill us."

"Hence, _we."_

 _..._

Eric sped through the empty street, it was just me him and Max, he didn't want to alert the rest of the compound, not yet.

"I hope you're right about trusting Jake, Tris," Eric said quietly, grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze.

"He wouldn't have helped you get me if he wanted to have me killed."

"I hope you're right."

"Trist me," I whispered.

"There they are," Max spoke up from the back.

Eric slowed the truck down, I was out before it stopped moving and I ran to Jake.

"Jake," I yelled running to him, "Jake!"

I crashed into him hugging him tightly, ignoring the tension I felt radiating off of Eric a few feet behind.

"What are you doing here," I asked him stepping a good two feet back.

"David is ready to attack, we're here to help you."

"You're here to help us?" Eric spoke up.

"He's a bad man, Eric," Oz spoke up, "I'm glad you realized quickly who you guys could trust and not, we are here to take David down."

I looked at Eric, a smirk was playing at his lips.

Max cleared his throat behind us.

"Jake, Dallas, Oz, this is Max, one of our leaders," I introduced the men.

"So, what do we do," I ask Jake. Watching the grin that crosses his face.

...

We were in the meeting room down the hallway from our offices. Jake told us all abo David's plans to have Eric killed in order to have me surrender the entire city. He told us all about his twisted motives, wanting to wipe Chicago off the map for good because he feared that our city would grow to be stronger than he ever wanted it to be.

"When is he planning to attack?" Eric asked, leaning his forearms on the table.

"Within the next seventh two hours, or sooner, now that half of his trained army is missing." Jake spoke.

"what are his tactics, techniques, what do we have to fight against," Max asked to no one in particular.

"Heavy artillery, aircraft, trained soldiers." Oz replied.

"Can we take them," Max asked again.

Dallas looked around the room, he stared at Eric and Four before he looked to me, "Max, if your compound has soldiers, as great as the three standing in this room, you will have nothing to worry about."

 **.**

 _"Tris, there comes a time when you need to be very clear with what you say to me," Eric said slowly, "this is one of those times."_

 _He was going to kill me._

 _"What were your aptitude results?"_

 ** _._**

I woke up.

i looked down to where Eric lay, sleeping soundly. He was right, if we made it through Jenaine and Lauren's war, we could make it through this one, sure David had the future on his side. But we had a whole city.

"You ok," Eric asked me through the darkness of our room.

"Yeah, I'm ok, I just need to get up for a minute." I threw the covers off of me and walked out of the room and into the living room.

Jake was sleeping on the couch, much to Eric's displeasure, I told him that it was still my home as much as his.

"Jake," I called to him quietly.

He twitched awake.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," I whispered walking closer.

"What's up, Tris?"

"Do you really think we can beat David?"

He sat up on the couch and rubbed his eyes.

"Yes, I do think you can beat him. With our soldiers and yours combined it gives us that much more of a chance."

"What happened back in Milwaukee? What made you come here?"

He sighed heavily, "David wanted me to come alone. He wanted me to come kill Eric...to prove my loyalty to him."

"He wanted me to do the same thing..."

"He's afraid of Erics abilities," he continued.

"But why, there's so many more people to worry about..."

"I don't know Tris, his only reason was that he wanted to know he could trust me."

I just nodded my head and walked back into the bedroom, Eric was standing by the window.

"Eric?" I asked cautiously.

"You want to know why David wants me dead?"

"Do you know," I ask quietly, walking closer to him.

"He's my brother."


	12. Chapter 11

_"Come back to me baby," I could hear a mans deep voice whispering. I couldn't open my eyes._

 _i heard the faint sounds of heart monitors beeping to the rhythm of my heart._

 _I felt a strong calloused hand grasp my hand gently, heat surged through my body at the touch._

 _"I love you so much, Tris, please don't go, I'm not ready to let you go," his voice was laced with signs that he was crying._

 _I wanted so badly to wake up and open my eyes, but I couldn't find the strength._

 _..._

"What do you mean he's your brother, Eric," I looked at him with a hard stare.

"I didn't know until just a few days ago, Tris..." Eric looked at me, he had hurt written all over his face, "I remember my parents telling me that he had been killed when he was younger. David is quite a few years older than me."

"Eric, why does he want you dead," I asked slower.

"Because he knows that I can stop him."

"How," I stepped forward slightly, "What can you do that is different from the rest of Dauntless."

"Because I have you by my side, Tris."

...

 **Milwaukee**

"I can't believe that prick left, and he took some of my best soldiers along with him." David was rambling to Miriam, she didn't know what to say, so he continued, "push the plans up, we attack at dawn, I'm done with this joke of a city."

"Sir," she asked quietly.

"I'm the new commander, rally the soldiers," he spoke again. He looked to Miriam who wore a confused face. He forgot, she was only his assistant she wasn't military initiated or inclined for that matter, "I'll do it myself. My apologies Miriam."

She nodded and hurried out of his room.

David looked out the window where he could clearly see the tip top of the fence surrounding Chicago.

"You have no idea what's coming for you."

...

 **Daunltess**

 **Tris POV**

"Hey," Jakes familiar voice came from behind me, I turned around to see him striding up to me, "where are you going?"

"For a train ride, care to join me," I turned to him and as if on que the train horn blared and it came down the tracks.

I took off running to keep up before I grabbed on and swung my legs inside the car. I watched Jake follow me quickly, mimicking my actions.

"Mind telling me why you're going for a train ride, and where the hell you're' going," he crossed his arms over his chest as he spoke.

"I needed to clear my head," I looked down at my feet, "Eric told me about David being his brother."

Jake visibly took a deep breath and let it out.

"How is that possible, Jake?"

Before Eric was born, his mother was raped. Before she was even old enough to join the chosing ceremony. She gave birth to the child, and she met her husband and Erics father, they raised him together." Jake paused and shoved his hands into his pockets, "Then one day, David was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Someone had found out about his Divergence, and he was killed."

"David was Divergent?"

Jake nodded and ran his thumb along his bottom lip, "the leader of Erudite before Jeanine was only staging the deaths of Divergents at the time, he knew about Milwaukee...he knew because he was a transplant, and with the leadership skills that David was showing, he knew that he needed to get him on the outside somehow."

"So they 'killed' him," I was trying hard to process all of the new information.

"Once David showed up to Milwaukee, he was immediately trained in every military aspect, he was trained to become the leader, the commander, he was trained to become invincible."

I watched as Jake moved towards the open door of the train car to look out. We could see erudite in the near distance.

"When Jenaine became the leader, David lost sight of changing Chicago for the greater good. He came to be afraid of people like him, people like you."

"But why?"

"Because he saw what was happening to the faction system, he saw it crumbling."

"It doesn't make any sense, Jake," I say shaking my head.

"He's deranged and off his rocker, Tris. The man is power hungry, and he sees Chicago as a threat to the future. He fears being over thrown."

"Why does he want Eric killed?"

"Because Eric has you by his side," Jake came to stand by me, "he knows that you and Eric can not be controlled, he knows that together you are stronger than anyone else, because your love is so deep. He thinks that by killing Eric he can make you surrender the city."

"I would never-"

"You say it now, Tris, but he knows how to manipulate your emotions."

I shake my head, I would never surrender the entire city if Eric died, Eric wouldn't do it if I died.

"None of this makes sense," I say quietly. Jake lifts my chin to look into my eyes.

"That is why he is so scared of you, Tris," he says calmly.

"Why?"

"You don't think like a normal person, you try to think deeper than what is on the surface. On the surface, David makes perfect sense to some. He is a psycho, and that's where it ends for me, but for you, you want to know the answers, answers no one else cares to know."

"Jake," I whispered p, his thumb stroked my cheek, and my body filled with guilt. I couldn't left him touch me like this, "I can't."

I watched the hurt wash over his face. But he dropped his hand and smiled sadly at me.

"When you came to Milwaukee," he started slowly and paused, "I had hoped, that, maybe since you couldn't remember, I would have a chance with you, I hoped that we could be together."

"you hardly know me, Jake," I whispered.

"I know you better than you think, Tris," he smiled back at me, "he loves you, you know that right?"

"I know," I smile down at the floor before looking back out to the passing landscape.

...

 **Hey readers! David's Erics long lost evil supposedly dead brother say what?**

 **I hope everyone is enjoying so far :)**

 **I have had some good feedback on what people think of OC Jake, it's amazing to me how people's imaginations work differently.**

 **Personally, I imagine Jake looking like Taylor Kitsch from Battleship :)**


	13. Chapter 12

Tris POV

"Eric," I called I to the quiet apartment, I listened but didn't get a response.

"Eric," I call out again, walking further into the apartment, still nothing.

I signed and walked to the shelf where his rifle was sitting.

i reached out and ran my fingers along the smooth stock of the gun.

...

 _"Let me go," she hissed furiously._

 _"Don't, Tris. Stop fighting me," groaned Eric, keeping her crushed to him as with one hand, he pushed down one side of her neckline to reveal a pale, soft shoulder to his view. He kissed her Ravens on her exposed skin and she gasped loudly._

 _"No_ , _you can't. I...Four..." Tris tried to make sense of what she was trying to_ _explain but couldn't._

 _"Baby, he's not here. It_ 's _too bad he hurt you, but I'm glad he's out of your life. Now you can't deny this, deny us."_

 _..._

 _"What is it," Tris asked as she eyed the rifle._

 _"it's a .300 win. Mag. They used these a lot during the war," Eric replied watching Tris take a great interest in his prized possession._

 _..._

 _"Eric, this is Tris Prior," Max said introducing her to the blonde leader. Eric strode to stand beside her._

 _"We've met," Eric stated in a husky voice._

 _..._

I pulled my hand away from the gun as if it had shocked me. I shook my head and looked around the room before I ran out and to the door of my old apartment, and I let myself in.

...

 _"I'll see you soon, my queen." His kissed her one more time, grazing her lip with his teeth before pushing off the fridge leaving her pressed against the cool metal, leaving her hot and bothered._

...

 _Tris slid down the wall in the kitchen, bringing her knees to her chest and cried. She felt drained. Why the hell was Four spying on her, what gain was he making? Her apartment was ripped to shreds._

 _She heard a knock on her door, "Tris! Open the door!" It was Eric._

 _She squeezed her eyes closed and bit her lip. She wanted to be alone, but wanted so badly to be held. She stayed sitting on the floor, now noticing the shattered glass around her from the picture frame. She hadn't noticed the shards of glass when she sat down. Her hand was a bloody mess from the sharp pieces._

 _Eric pounded on the door again, "TRIS!"_

...

My eyes darted around the room as memories came flooding into my head. The room was still tossed and out of order from when I had thrown my rage when I found out that four was spying on me.

I grabbed my head tightly, and squeezed my eyes shut.

...

 _"My queen..."_

 _..._

the words echoed through my head and memories flashed rapidly.

...

 _Eric stopped and took her into his arms, peering down at her, "I don't know where I would be if you had never agreed to be my assistant," he tucked a strand of hair behind her shoulder._

 _"Are you trying to be mushy?" Tris giggled._

 _"No," he shook his head, "I'm being serious, I never would have thought we would be standing here. I never imagined I'd be holding the most beautiful girl in my arms."_

 _Tris blushed. His words made butterflies rise in her stomach. She looked to the side and saw the fighting ring, and smirked._

 _"You're setting yourself up for an ass whooping," Eric laughed, following her gaze._

 _"I guess we will have to see."_

 _..._

 _"Mom," I choked, I felt the tears begin to fall. She was beaten badly, though she still reached out for my hand, "mom, how are you alive, I thought you were gone."_

 _"He saved us," she said weakly, smiling and nodding towards Eric where he stood behind me._

 _I looked to Eric then back to my mom, shaking my head in disbelief. My mom was alive, Four was alive, my dad was... "where's dad," I asked, choking back a sob._

 _"He left with Tobias...they are going to Erudite to get Caleb."_

 _..._

I fell to my knees as the memories continued to flood through my mind.

I held my head as I felt my ears begin to ring loudly, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

Then they stopped. My old apartment was quiet, it was dark.

The only sound was my rugged breathing.

"I remember," I whispered to myself.

I remembered _everything._


	14. Chapter 13

"Tris," Eric called quietly from behind her. He watched her carefully as her tiny body knelt on the floor in her old apartment.

He cautiously stepped forward.

"Baby," she didn't turn when he came to kneel by her. She was tyke to catch her breath, her face was streaked with tears.

"Why does it feel like I'm not going to see you again," she asked quietly, still not turning to look at him.

Eric took in a deep breath, "you're going to see me again, Tris."

"Do you promise me," she asked, finally turning to him to look at him with puffy red eyes.

"I promise, Tris."

She laughed slightly, "You know the best decision I have ever made was choosing to come to Dauntless."

Eric chuckled and thought back to the day that Tris had shown up, "you were pretty cute in those grey Abnegation clothes."

Tris laughed louder, fresh tears streaming down her face, "I looked so terrible."

"Yeah," Eric laughed more, "your clothes did, but not you."

Tris laughed, trying to wipe away the hot tears.

"I love you, Tris." Eric said on a more serious note.

"Why did you say it like that," she asked turning to him, "why did you say it like it means goodbye?"

Eric shook his head and smiled, "you're a pain in my ass."

Tris laughed leaning her head against Erics chest, "that's better."

"You like that," Eric joked with her. Tris nodded and smiled, "let's go home baby."

"okay," Tris agreed, taking Eric's offered hand as he helped her to her feet.

...

 **Christina POV**

I looked sadly at the picture of Will and I on our initiation graduation day, we looked so happy, we were so in love and we had both made it to become Dauntless soldiers.

I felt a tear roll down my cheek before I picked up my beer off the bar and took another swig.

"Mind if I sit," I heard Four ask from beside me.

Four had changed for the greater good ever since Jeanine and Lauren were killed. He was one of them again.

"Be my guest," I replied as he took the barstool next to me.

"Usual, Four," Nita asked him, he nodded.

"You alright," Four asked me, noticing my tears.

"I wish I could have done more to save him."

"There's not hi more you could have done, Chris...Will was a great guy, he loved you so much."

I smiled a little and put my picture on the bar.

"What do you think he's doing, is he watching over us?"

Four paused and looked over my face before answering, "I think he's still here with you, keeps you strong, keeping you ready for whatever is coming our way."

I grinned a little.

I looked over Four's shoulder and saw Tris, Eric, Max and Jake walking in.

He followed my gaze.

"He really loves her, you know," I told Four. I could see he was still worried for Tris, reguardLess of what happened between them. He knew how badly he had messed things up with her, he only wanted the best.

"I know he does," he said quietly turning back to me.

Our friends took their seats next to us at the bar. Everyone seemed to be pretty grim tonight, wondering what our future was looking like.

Tori walked in from the other doors, followed by Zeke and Uriah.

"Hey guys," Uri said, breaking the silence between all of us.

"Hey, Uri," I said smiling at him. We had been closer than ever since Will had passed. It was as if he was the missing piece to my puzzle. I couldn't help but find deep feelings for him.

"What do you think is going to happen when the war starts," Uri asked, no one in particular.

Eric was the one to answer him quickly, "whatever happens, happens."

Uriah put his head down and took a drink from the beer Anita sat in front of him.

Eric came to stand behind everyone sitting in the stools, Tris was under his arm.

"I just want to say something," Eric spoke loud enough for us all to turn to look at him and listen to what he had to say.

He looked at each one of us before he began speaking, "I want each and every one of you to know, just how proud i am of you..." He paused and looked to Tris, "everyone standing right here, right now, is the very reason for Dauntless being the way it is. Together we are strong."

I looked to Four's face and back to Eric.

"We have lost a lot of friends on the way to becoming who we are today," he looked directly at me, "and we've made new friends," he looked to Jake, "there is no one, I would rather fight next to, and to call my family."

Nearly everyone gasped at the words Eric had chosen.

"You are all my brothers and sisters...you are my family, our family. No matter what happens, I am proud to call you my family."

I felt a fresh set of tears run out of my eyes. This had hot tears running down her cheeks too.

"To you," Eric spoke again, raising his glass, we all clinked our drinks together before we drank.

He was right, these people in this room together, were a family.

You can't break family.


	15. Chapter 14

**6:45 AM**

"Dallas," Jake yelled, banging on the door to the apartment he was staying in, "Dallas get up!"

Jake could hear grumbling at the other side of the door and shuffling of feet before the lock turned and Dallas stood in front of him, sleepy eyed and half dressed.

"What, man?"

"David is on the line."

Dallas' eyes grew wide and he turned to run and grab his shirt before leaving the apartment, following Jake to the communications room.

"Max," Dallas greeted as Max handed him the phone.

"This is Dallas," he answered evenly.

"Ahh, Dallas, my right hand traitor," David's voice came through the phone, Dallas motioned for Max to put the phone call on speaker, "I have a proposition for you."

"What proposition would that be," Dallas asked cautiously, looking up as Eric and Tris entered the room.

"I assume I am on speaker, so I will offer this to everyone in the room," David said, a cocky tone laced his voice, "either you surrender, before things get bloody, and only some of you will die. Or you fight in which case all of you will die."

"That's a shitty proposition, David," Dallas spoke calmly, despite what his face was showing.

"Dallas, you've been my friend a long time, you helped me to bring Milwaukee to the glory that it is today," David spoke just as calm.

"I'm not negotiating the lives of all the people in this city, David. These are innocent people, you have no right killing them."

"Not everyone of them is innocent," David said, "Eric Coulter, my little brother for example, is nothing more than a murderer."

"What does that make you then, David, trying to kill innocent people," Eric spat back before he could think.

"Ahh, speaking of the little devil himself. Surrender Eric, surrender yourself and the city, and save your dearly beloved, Beatrice."

Eric looked to Tris, "I admit David, I have made many mistakes in my life...I've killed many people, some for the greater good, some for no reason, I will _not_ surrender my city. _Our home_ to the likes of you."

"What will people think, when they learn what you really are, Eric?"

"I will worry about that when the time comes."

There was a long pause, before David spoke again, "you're too much like your father."

"At least I know who my father is you son of a bitch." Erics blood began to boil, he was enraged to the point of seeing red.

"Dallas, are you still there," David asked.

"Yes, I'm here," he replied carefully.

"Kill that son of a bitch for me, kill him and I will leave all of Chicago alone," David spat.

Dallas looked to Eric, then to Tris before speaking again, "I'm sorry I can't do that, David."

"Wrong choice."

"We will be waiting." With that, Dallas ended the call and looked around the room at all the leaders, "it's time, round up your soldiers, get them ready. It's time to fight, David and his army are on the way."

As he was speaking, alarms began blaring throughout the room, Four hurried to a monitor for the fence, "they're already here."

"Sound the alarm," Max breathed out.

...

Tris hurried to the roof to watch as at least thirty helicopters flew over the fence and towards the city.

Her heart was pounding in her ears as she watched their fate coming quickly for them.

Jake came to a stop on her right and Eric on her left.

"We can't win," she said quietly to herself.

"We can, and we will, Tris." Jake said, grabbing her shoulders to look squarely into her eyes. Eric watched the way he touched Tris, his anger inside him flared. Before he could move to grab Triscaway from the other man, she was already running back into the compound for weapons.

"Stay the fuck away from her, Jake," Eric hissed.

"She's my friend, Eric."

"I don't give a shit, I don't want you near her!"

"Eric, I swear to god, she's nothing more than a friend." Jake pleaded.

Eric felt his anger taking control of his actions, he went to swing for Jake, he dodged his first quickly.

"Eric! I am not your enemy!"

Eric quickly gained composure of himself, he shook his head.

"The enemy is out there!" Jake yelled.

"I don't know what came over me," Eric whispered.

"It's fear, Eric...that's all it is." Jake said before hurrying to the armory.

Eric turned to watch the helicopters littering the sky, if his brother wanted a war. He would get one.


	16. Chapter 15

"Caleb, come in," Tris called over the radio to Erudite.

"Beatrice, is this you?" Caleb replied quickly.

"It's me," she said softly, "Caleb, I need your help with something."

"Anything, Tris, anything to save Chicago."

"I need to get a message out to Chicago." She said firmly.

"I can do that," came Caleb's response.

...

Tris positioned herself in front of the camera in the control room, Four was helping to record her, while Caleb was broadcasting the message all over Chicago.

"Ready," Four asked quietly, Tris nodded slightly before starting.

"People of Chicago...my name is Tris Prior, I am a leader of Dauntless...recently, discoveries were made outside the wall, we are not the only life left. Unfortunately, those outside the wall believe us to be a threat, they believe that we will rise against them, and they will lose their power. These people, have watched us for years, they have watched us through our struggles, they have violated our privacy. I am asking you, not as a leader of Dauntless, but as a friend, as a fellow acquaintance, rise up and help to protect our city from these people. It's time to fight, Chicago, it's time to come together as one. Be brave."

Tris closed her eyes as the message ended, she looked to the doorway of the control room, Eric had his arms crossed over his chest, and he was watching her with a small smile covering his face.

She slowly walked to where he stood, and put her arms around his waist.

"That's one of the reasons I fell in love with you," he whispered into her hair.

"Why?"

"Because you are a born leader, Tris, you are respectable, you are brave and strong," he whispered again and kissed the top of her head.

She smiled against his chest before backing away to pick her rifle up from the chair she had placed it on.

"We have to get moving, Eric, the enemy is here, it's time to fight."

"Again," he mumbled.

Four watched the duo leave the control room, and turned back to the monitors, watching the helicopters land near the center of the city, letting soldiers flood out and get into formation.

"God be with us," he whispered to himself.

...

Tris POV

"Dallas," I called, running to the man fully decked out in Dauntless uniform.

"Ms. Prior," I fought back the urge to tell him my last name was Coulter.

"Dallas, what is going on," I asked, watching dozens of both our soldiers and his soldiers gathering weapons.

"Were forming a recon team, we are heading for the center of the city. That is where they will attack first, because that is where most people are."

"I'm coming with you," I said quickly.

"Tris," he laid his hand on my shoulder, "Eric wanted me specifically to tell you to stay here, he knew you would try to come."

"He should also know, that if I was meant to stay here, he would have to lock me in a cage to make sure I stayed put."

"He said you would say something like that," Dallas smirked.

"Did he now?"

"He said if you said that, that you are to stay with Oz, and myself along with our recon team. For protection."

"Where is Eric," I asked slowly.

"He's gone to Milwaukee, Tris. He is dealing with David personally.

I felt as if my heart had been stabbed ten times over. Eric had gone back to Milwaukee, he never even said goodbye.

"He can't go alone," I argued.

"Jake is with him, Tris, and so is Four."

...

Eric POV

"So, what is your plan, Eric," Jake asked me form the passenger seat of the lojacked helicopter.

"You're going to get me in to see David, I am going to finish this before it starts."

"How will you do that," Jake asked me watching me as if I were crazy.

"I'll kill him."

"Eric, it won't stop the war if you kill him."

"We have to at least try, Jake."

"Eric, maybe he is right," Four spoke up from the back, "there might have to be another way to stop the war."

"If you have another plan, then please, explain, Four," I was irritated now. Couldn't they understand that maybe if I could kill David, and send out word to pull the soldiers out, then maybe they would stop. Chicago was already under attack, it was only a matter of hours, if not minutes before they made contact.

"Try reasoning with him, Eric," Four said again.

"Oh yeah, reason with him...you can't reason with a psychopath," I shake my head at the sound of his stupidity.

 _"Eric,"_ I heard Tris' voice come through my earpiece, _"what the hell are you thinking?"_

I didn't answer her right away, I couldn't answer her. I had left without saying goodbye, in hopes that whatever happens it would be easier on her. I just realized after hearing her voice what a stupid mistake it was.

 _"I know you can hear me, Eric,"_ she spoke again.

I saw Milwaukee getting closer and closer.

 _"Dammit, Eric, answer me!"_

"I love you, Tris," I whispered back before taking the piece from my ear.

Jake looked at me with concerned eyes, "you do what you gotta do here, Eric. You have to get back to her. You have to be there for _her."_

"Funny, I would have h ought you'd want me dead, so you can have her to yourself," I scoffed at the other man.

He chuckled a little, "as much as I would love to have her as my own, Eric, she is not mine to have. She is yours, and yours only. And I truly apologize for the passes I have made at her. And for Tris, I will stand by your seize, until this is over."

I glanced at Jake then back to Four.

Two people I never would have thought to be aquatinted with, but I was aquatinted with them. And to be honest I trusted them, with my life.


	17. Chapter 16

Eric POV

"Don't you move, asshole," I said to David as I raised my pistol to the back of his head. He was typing something furiously on the monitor in front of him.

"Three, that's all I'm worth is three pathetic soldiers?" He laughed to himself and turned around slowly.

"I think you'll find you're underestimating us," Jake said with his gun also trained on David.

"Jake, I thought I could trust you." was David's response.

"You thought wrong, David. I draw the line when it comes to killing innocent people."

David laughed then, "Jake, I you that you would have taken my offer to kill this pathetic waste of skin," he said looking straight into my eyes, "you could have had his wife all to yourself."

"Funny thing about respect, David, is you back the fuck off when someone is in love and happy, and you leave them alone."

"Respect," he scoffed, "what do you know of respect."

"A hell of a lot more than you."

"Shut the sim down," Four spoke now, coming closer to us.

"Shut it down," he laughed, "least you could do is say please."

Four snorted at his response.

"You heard him, David, shut it down, now," I said before cocking my gun.

"You three are very funny people, do you think I am scared of death? If you kill me, Chicago will still die, they will still crumble, at the hands of my soldiers. They will not stop until I tell them to."

"Why do you want these innocent people dead," Jake asks.

"Business son, it's all just business."

"What business," I ask now, pressing my gun to his skull.

"I'm getting paid a hell of a lot of money, just to kill of those who live in Chicago. It was just an experiment, Eric and now, the experiment is over."

"You're getting paid?" Jake asks him, "by who?"

"Let's just say, there's a world out there you know nothing about, a world where people still prosper and live normal lives everyday. A place where there are no worries-"

"Whose paying you," I ask pressing the gun tighter.

"The government of course, plus on top of it, I get to kill my half brother...so it's a little personal."

"We are not lab rats you can just get rid of," I sneer at him through gritted teeth.

"Might as well be, you're nothing higher than a spec of dirt under their shoes."

"Shut it down," Four sneered at him this time.

"What part of I am not afraid to die do you fools not understand," David asks us, laughing a dark laugh.

I look to Four and then Jake and lower my gun.

"I always knew you were a coward," David spits at me before laughing. His laugh is quickly replaced with a high pitched scream when I twist his arm behind his back until I hear a deep gut wrenching pop.

"Turn it off, now," I say lowly.

"I'm not afraid of death, Eric," his chuckles. I twist his arm harder, earning another scream.

"Why do you think I'm not killing you then," I whisper in his ear.

Two can play at this game.

"Ok, ok fine, let me go," David nearly cries as the pain from his broken arm surges through his body.

Reluctantly I Unhand him and watch him closely, my gun is back to its home pouted at the back of his head. David looks to me once more before turning around and facing the monitor once more. I watch over his shoulder as he taps a few buttons on the screen and see him hit one more button reading _"Terminate File."_

"You have to be careful who you can trust, Eric..." David turns back to me with a sick grin plastered across his face, my brow furrows in confusion.

"Eric! Get down!" Four yells and I am tackled to the ground.

I look back up and see that Jake is now holding a knife in his hand, he is staring down at me. His eyes are blank.

"What did you do," Four asks David, pulling me away from the now hostile drone that was once Jake.

"You forget, you're in my world now," David says laughing at the two of us.

"It's not your world anymore," I hear _her._ I turn my head to see Tris poised with her silver knife in her hand, ready to throw.

David turned to look at her just as she threw the dagger.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, David moved in time for the knife to only stick into his shoulder, she was clearly aiming for his heart.

David nodded his head towards Tris when Jake looked to him, and in a flash he had Tris pinned to the wall, strangling the life out of her.

"TRIS!" I yelled, trying to get up but I was kicked back down by David, and he lodged Tris' knife into my torso.

Four was trying to help Tris fight off Jake, I was left alone with David.

"You're nothing but a waste of skin, don't you know that," David sneers at me, "you're no better than your father."

"I'm better than you," I grunted and pulled the knife from my abs before stabbing it into the side of his leg. I took the opportunity to get up and get in my fighting stance.

David was no wimp, he had come here to Milwaukee at a much younger age, and he had been trained as a soldier would be trained.

David and I circled around, each of us leave a trail of fresh blood on the floor in our wake.

Finally he jabbed first, I found the opening in his stance and kicked him in the stomach, knocks him off balance. He stumbled back a couple feet before coming at me again, I dodged him and kicked out his knees.

Tris screamed and it caught my attention quickly.

David took the distraction and knocked me to the floor, holding a knife above me, if my arms had been any weaker, he would have stabbed me by now.

"A good soldier, doesn't show any vulnerability, they don't have a weakness," he sneers down at me.

I hear Four cry out in agonizing pain, it is everything I can do not to look their way.

"You are weak, Eric, you let your guard down for what, for a stiff? For a little girl from Abnegation...and for what? She's about to cost you your life."

I struggled to hold his weight up as he pressed down on his hands holding the knife over me.

"Jake, stop!" Tris was trying to plead with him.

"Do you hear that, Eric? The way she calls his name, she wants more from him than friendship, she doesn't love you. She doesn't remember the life you had before she lost her memory." David was speaking through gritted teeth.

"No one will ever love you." He pressed down harder, the knife a mere inch form my chest.

"You're wrong," I hissed, "you don't know her like I do."

I glanced around on the ground next to me and found Tris' knife. I heard her scream out again, this time in agonizing pain.

Thats all the encouragement I needed, in a swift move I found the strength the push David away from me enough to grab the knife and drive it up into his chest. As I did I felt searing pain through my own chest, I looked down and saw he had embedded part of his own blade through me.

David made a gurgling noise above me, and he fell limp to the ground. Dead.

I slowly pulled the knife from my heaving chest and found the strength to stand up and hobble to the computer and type in the passcode I saw David use before.

Looking over the screen, there were many files, controlling his whole army, a red file caught my eye: END PROGRAM

I pushed the file and fell to the ground with a thud, my world around me started to haze.


	18. Chapter 17

Tris POV

Reguardless of what Dallas tried to tell me, I couldn't stay behind and leave Eric to fight alone. I wouldn't let him go without more back up. I had promised him before that when he fights I fight...

...

 _"When you fight, I will fight, Eric. Where you go, I will go, if you die, Eric, I will die beside you."_

 _..._

"Tris," Uriah asked shocked as I hurried through the pit to the armory, "what are you doing, you're supposed to be with Dallas and Oz."

"I have to help Eric, Uri," I say quickly, still hurrying for the armory.

"I can't let you go," Uri grabs my arm.

"Uriah, I will not let him go without more backup, they are going to need it."

Uriah shook his head.

"Uriah, if you do not let me go right now, I will kick your ass and lock you in the fucking closet. Now. Let me go."

"I won't let you go alone, Tris." He said softly.

"We're coming too," Zeke said from behind me, I turned to see Zeke, Tori and Christina standing together.

"Let's go kick some ass," I say to them smirking.

...

"Can you fly this thing," Zeke asks cautiously watching as I climb I tot he pilot seat of the chopper.

"I've flown one once, it can't be that hard to do without an instructor," I reply. God I hope I am right, I hope I don't kill us all.

"I believe in you," Christina smiled at me from the co pilot seat.

i smiled back and began flipping switched and started the engines. The blades began to move slowly, picks up speed and cutting through the air. I tried to remember the steps Jake had taught me when I first learned.

"Ready?" I ask Chris looking over at her as I situated my helmet on comfortably.

"As I will ever be, let's go get em."

...

"Tris, you go first, we will be behind you to cover, get to Eric and David." Tori says as we enter the main building.

I only nod and begin running for David's office. I just hope I am not too late for something bad to happen, I won't let something bad happen. I can't lose Eric.

...

"Jake stop!" I yelled, he has proceeded to throw Four to the ground and focus his attention back on me. His eyes are dark and he is watching me with a predatory look, ready to kill.

"Please, stop," I felt tears pricking at my eyes. I watch Eric and David fighting out of the corner of my eye. David is so close to stabbing Eric.

Jake swings at my head, I don't move fast enough because his fist has connected with my eyebrow, pulling an agonizing scream from my lungs as my eyebrow splits open.

In the next move I am pinned the wall again, Four is struggling to his feet in a daze, trying desperately to get to me as I feel my head start to spin as the life is strangled out of me.

And then it stops.

Jakes hand has left my throat and I fall into a heap on the floor, gasping for air.

"Tris," Jake says quietly, looking at his hands and then to me. His chest is heaving. He takes a step towards me.

"Stay back!" I reach for a pistol disguarded on the floor beside me, "stay. The. Fuck. Back."

"Tris, it's me," he says softly.

i look to Eric, laying on the floor a few meters away.

"Eric," I whisper.

Four looks in his direction as well.

Realization hits me and my senses go into overdrive.

"Eric!" I scream.

Our friends have made their way into the office now. I am struggling to get to Eric.

"Baby," I manage to get his head in my lap, "Four, help me!"

Zeke moves first when Four is stuck in his spot, his eyes are wide.

"Tris, I need you to cradle his head, just like you are doing, good," Zeke begins. He takes out a knife and cuts Erics vest and shirt away from his chest.

Blood is coating his once marble skin, just above his right pec.

"Ok, I need you to hold this on his wound," Zeke says quickly grabbing my hand and pushing it down on the cloth he has over his open wound. He checks his pulse and listens for his breathing.

"Keep pressure on it," Zeke says sternly as he begins CPR.

Hot tears are flooding down my face as Zeke desperately tries to get Eric to wake up.

I look around to the faces of my friends, everyone is looking grim. Christina is crying, Four is watching as Zeke struggles to wake Eric up. Tori turns her head away and Jake falls to his knees, holding his head in his hands.

Zeke continues to perform CPR.

"Stop," I find myself saying.

Zeke doesn't listen. I put my hand on his arm but he pushes me away.

"Stop," I say louder.

"Tris, just hold pressure to him-"

"I SAID STOP," I began crying uncontrollably, "Please, just stop."

Zeke backs away and Uriah rests a hand on his shoulder.

"Eric," I say quietly into his ear, "Eric, I know you are in pain right now. But I need you to stay calm, and focus on me. Just focus on my breathing," I wrap my arms around him and bring his left hand up to mine, "focus on my heartbeat," I whisper.

I feel everyone gazing at me.

"I need you to know, that I remember...everything," I say, talking to him, but I hear a gasp come from Christina, "it all hit me at once," I whisper.

"I remember the very first time I saw you when I got to Dauntless, you were so intimidating, but I could see right through your mask..." I paused and listened to his breathing which was weak but steady, "I remember when I first started working for you, you were such an asshole," I laughed a little at the memory, "I remember, the night we wanted to do something crazy, and we got married. We got matching tattoos of our initials rather than rings, Bud did them for us."

I look up to the ceiling, unconsciously rocking us back and fourth, "I remember everything, baby. Please don't leave, because if you die, I'm going to die...and I don't want our lives to end right here. Not like this. We're supposed to grow old together, we're supposed to watch our children grow."

I cried harder when he wasn't answering me.

"Please, Eric, I remember everything."

"It's about God damn time you remember something, stiff," I hear Eric mumbled.

My heart skipped a beat as he opened his blue-grey eyes and looked up at me. Zeke was back kneeling next to Eric and I, Four was at my other side.

I nuzzled my face into his neck, ignoring the drying blood on his skin, "i love you, Eric."

"I love you, Tris."

The war was over. Everything was over.


	19. Chapter 18

6 months later.

I watched as everyone was laughing and talking around the Christmas tree, we had never been able to celebrate Christmas, we could only ever read about it from the books.

We had been rebuilding Chicago with the help from Milwaukee, and the government Eric had told us David spoke of.

Turns out. The government wasn't paying David to kill off the people of Chicago, he was supposed to use the money to help us regrow our city and make it great again. He just got greedy.

There really was a sold out there too, just as David had said.

Over the last few months we had received a lot of help from other cities much like Milwaukee, and a lot of visitors with the help. Our city began to grow and prosper as it had back before the war, before we were even born.

Laughter filled the room as Jake and Eric spoke of some story they had come up with, something about being bad asses.

They had become good friends, despite the feelings Jake had felt towards me. Leave it to Eric to hook him up with Christina in the end, she was happy. Both of them were. Hell, we all were.

Erics eyes met mine from my spot standing by he island in our kitchen. He stood up to come over to me.

"Are you ok, my queen," he asked me, nuzzling my neck lightly.

"No," I pulled away to look him in the eyes, "I'm more than ok."

Eric smiled and kissed my lips softly, grabbing my ass in the process.

"Shall we open presents?" I ask pulling away from our passionate kiss.

He nodded and grinned at me, before leading me back towards the tree.

"Let's open presents guys," I spoke up over the laughter.

"Caleb, you get to play Santa, you're closest to the tree," Eric says laughing and pulling me to sit in his lap.

"Alright, here we go," Caleb says smiling and grabbing the first gift. It was the one I had wrapped up for Eric. My heart skipped. I had put a lot of thought into his gift.

"Caleb, you have to upend yours at the same time as Eric," I speak up.

"You got them matching underwear didn't you," Christina says laughing from Jakes lap.

i shrug my shoulders and watch as the boys begin to unwrap their presents.

i look from Caleb back to Eric, both have the paper ripped completely off, Caleb has the shirt box open before Eric and he is holding up a small onesie in front of his face.

His eyes look to mine and then I turn to see Eric slowly holding up the tiny onside from his own box. I feel my cheeks flush as everyone in the room began to gasp and I hear Christina start to sniffle.

Erics eyes find mine, "is this for real," he asks me quietly, "like really?"

I can't find words, so I just nod.

Before I know it he has scoped me up in a hug and he is crying silent tears, Caleb hugs both of us and our friends erupt in cheers.

"Were having a baby," Eric asks me quietly.

I nod into his shoulder, "We're having a little boy."

"His name better be Caleb," my dumbass brother says behind us, rejoining our moment. But we all laugh together.

Jake stands up with Christina holding up his beer, "to Tris and Eric!"

Whoops and hollers erupt from the room and I am crushed back to Erics chest as his tears poor from his eyes.

"Thank you," he whispers.

"For what," I ask quietly.

"For giving me a chance," he says smiling I pull back and kiss him hard, ignoring the rest of the room

...

"Hey," I call to Chritina and Jake as they walk towards their truck.

They turn back to me and wait for Eric and I to catch up, "were you just going to leave without saying goodbye?"

Christina smiles sheepishly at me, before giving me a hug. Eric and Jake exchange a bro hug.

"Good luck out there," I say still hugging Christina to me.

"I love you, Tris, thank you for being here for me, for always being my friend."

I smile at my friend, she had become more of a sister than anything over the years we had been at Dauntless together, we had overcome two wars together, and now she was continuingher life outside of Chicago.

"I'll see you soon then," I say letting go of her.

"I'll see you soon then," she replies before they get into their truck and drive away.

"Now what," I ask Eric as he wraps his arms around me.

"Now, we live," he replies.


	20. Epilogue

"Daddy!" Bradley calls out when he barges into my office.

"Hey little buddy, where's mommy?" I ask him as he flies up into my lap.

"She's there," he points towards the door as Tris walks in.

She is beautiful, her belly is rounded with our second child.

Bradley is already three years old, and he is me through and through, though he looks identical to Tris.

"How are you feelin, baby," I ask as she comes around my desk and leans down to kiss me.

"Like I'm ready to have this baby," she says laughing.

"Thank you for everything you do, my queen."

She smiles against my lips and kisses me once more.

"Are you ready?"

"Yep, let's get going," I set my files down on my desk.

Itll be the last time I see this place for a while I'm sure, if I ever see it again.

This and I had decided to go out into the world beyond Chicago, we had heard that Las Angels California was the place to be nowadays, and I wasn't going to tell her no when she said she wanted to go. Why not, we had endured two wars together, cheated death Intelsat, and now we had one beautiful child and another on the way.

Tris had given me the chance to be the one for her and now we had a family. I never imagined this would be how my life turned out, I had always been the big bad Eric.

I was getting soft.

The truth is, I love it.


End file.
